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(No Model.)

' P. B. DELANY.

SYSTEM OF INDIGATING TIME BY ELECTRIC LIGHTS. No. 360,862. Patented Apr. 12, 1887-.

. INIVENTOR CE- I Bykia torneys' Patrick PETERS, Photo-Lithographer. M'Jhngmn. 0.0.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATRICK B. DELANY,

PATENT OFFICE.

on NEW roan, N. Y.

SYSTEM OF INDICATING TlME BY ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,862, dated April 12, 1887.

Application tiled December 1, 1886. Serial No. 220.397. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK B. DELANY, of New York city, in the State of New York, have invented an Improved Electric Time-Indicating System, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to communicate the time in territory lighted by electricity. The specific details by which this may be accomplished are, so far as the broad aspect of my invention is concerned, immaterial, it being the purpose of my invention to indicate time by variations or rise and fall in the intensity of the light. WVhere large lights are displayed,so as to be visible for long distances, the time may be communicated over the entire territory by the action of a single light. For instance, the light in the torch of the Bartholdi Goddess ofLiberty may be caused to fluctuate to indicate all the hours of the night; andin lighthouses, wherever the electric light is employed,

the hours of the night may be indicated for long distances off the coast. To accomplish this purpose I preferably employ a time-indicating device or clock which automatically causes the light or lights to rise and fall in response to a stroke of the sounding-bell of the clock. Such a general arrangement is obviously the most practicable and feasible; but the invention is not limited to such apparatus. It is immaterial whether the lights by which the signaling is done be are or incandescent lights.

The accompanying drawing is a diagram View illustrating briefly and more or less crudely the arrangement which may be adopted for carrying out my invention.

In the drawing, 0 represents an ordinary clock, with a hammer for striking the hour. The hammer normally rests against a stop, 0,

' thereby closing the circuit through an electromagnet, D, the armature of which is attracted against its front stop, D. This armature and its back-stop may complete a circuit through an eleetro-magnet, E, the armature of which is normally against its upper stop, thus shunting a resistance in the circuit of the field-magnet of the electric-light dynamo. When the clock is striking the hour the resistance is let into the circuit through the field-magnet by the armature of the magnet E being drawn from its upper stop, and the current generated by the dynamo is accordingly weakened and the light or lights connected with the dynamo affected or caused to fall at each movement of the striking-hammer of the clock. In this way the time is indicated to an entire district, in-

cluding factories, or any large illuminated areas. Every light becomes a time-indicator. The variation in the brilliancy of the light may be regulated to any extent desired by the adjustable resistance. Of course the resistance might be placed in the main circuit of the dynamo; but I prefer the plan illustrated.

It is entirely obvious that any number of circuits may be operated from a single clock or time-indicator by making the hammer operate the circuits of other relays in the ordinary manner of series or multiple-arc arrangement.

It is of course entirely immaterial whether the clock has a regular striking-hammer or not, as any device which can be set in operation by the clock, so as to cause a number of variations in the light corresponding to the hour to be indicated, may be employed.

As I have above remarked, I prefer to employ a clock for controlling the electric lights; but obviously other mechanical means might be employed; or it would be within the terms of the broadest aspect of my invention if the lights be caused to rise and fall at certain hours or times by manual manipulation.

Of course, instead of signals indicating the regular hours of the night, any other signal might be indicated. For instance, the clock or controlling apparatus might at any time give a certain signal by means of a light other than signaling the regular hours of the night. For instance, in factories, at any given number of minutes before the closing hour, the fact might be indicated by the action of the light.

of course, so far as-the details are concerned, the magnets for controlling the resistance, if a resistance is used, (and I prefer to use it,) may be worked on the open or closed circuit plan, as desired; and instead of controlling the resistance by the contact-points of an ordinary armature-lever and its stop any other arrangement for giving stronger or more perfect contacts may be employed.

I claim as my invention 1. The herein-described improvementin the art or method of time-signaling, which consists in causing electric lights in a district or territory at predetermined times to rise and fall or fluctuate in intensity, and by, such changes to indicate a given signal or hour of the night.

2. The combination of an electric-light circuit, its source of energy, electric lights in the namo, its main circuit and the lights therein, 1

the field-magnet shunt or circuit, a resistance which may be cut in and out of the field-magnet circuit, a time-indicating device, and an electro-ma-gnet for cutting the resistance in or out of the circuit of the field-magnet, substan- 2o tially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

PATRICK B. DELANY.

Witnesses:

GEORGE A. SCOTT, B. Roi. 

